Bodyguard
by a-lady-to-me
Summary: Anna is a princess and Mr. Bates is her bodyguard.


**A/N:** This is my very late birthday gift for my bestie, twin, partner in crime Alexis (downtonluvr). I love you so much ladybug! My life is a much better place with you in it :) Thanks for always being there for me. One day we'll meet in person and the world will gush awesomeness because we're in the same room. xo

Please be kind with reviews, I'm a little rusty on the writing front, especially with the steamy stuff. Eeek. Let me know what you guys think! If I get some good reviews I might be tempted to write another chapter of this :)

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Literally.

* * *

Anna Smith sipped her drink as the beat of the music pumped around. People were dancing and having a great time and Anna smiled as she finally felt in her element. This was where she belonged, with people her own age who enjoyed a fun night on the town. Not locked up in her keep with her protector around every corner. Of course she understood the risks, and the role Mr. Bates played in keeping her safe, but one night couldn't do that much harm. She'd made sure to disguise herself enough so she wouldn't be recognized. Surely she could take care of herself, she was a grown woman after all.

Anna couldn't lie to herself, a large part of the reason she was out tonight was to remove herself from the tense situation she'd created between herself and Mr. Bates. She felt foolish and stupid after confessing her love to him. She had completely resented his presence at first, when her father, The King, had appointed her a bodyguard stating that is was for her protection. However Mr. Bates quickly won her over and she'd fallen head over heels for his quiet strength and resilience. When she'd finally gained the courage to confess her feelings he'd reminded her that a relationship between them would cost him his job and her position. Not to mention the difference in their ages as well as their positions.

" _I'm 25 and you're 34, that's hardly a reason to call the Guinness Book of Records." She'd tried to joke but he just shook his head._

" _No matter how we may feel, it simply cannot be."_ He'd said solemnly before shutting her limo door and letting her ride away with more questions than answers.

He'd been distant ever since, slowly but surely breaking her heart.

Suddenly she felt a presence beside her. An unexplainable chill ran up her spine as she turned to see a mousy looking man eyeing her. He offered to buy her a drink which she politely declined.

"Oh come on. I can show you a good time if you'll let me." This man was a creep for sure.

Anna moved to stand, sensing it was time for her to leave. She smiled at the man and responded to his bold statement with a more firm, "No thank you." Then set to walk towards the door. That was when she felt it; the unmistakable chill of a knife against her back.

"Don't make any sudden moves or this won't turn out well for either of us. I'll show you what you're missing."

The perilous situation went unnoticed by those around her. Why hadn't she listened? He'd tried to tell her to steer clear of the crowds but she'd been so convinced that she knew better. Too desperate for a taste of freedom and normal life.

Now as the cretin drug her out the back door of the club and into a dark alley she knew she'd give anything to have her protector with her. Anything.

She knew this was the end...no one would find her here. The man pushed her into the alley and grabbed her hair, making her turn to face him. She knew self defense but the terror of the moment rendered her completely motionless. She was going to die here. This was it. Then, just as the man raised his hand to hit her, out of the darkness came a swift fist that put her attacker on his back and far enough away from her that she felt she could safely run.

"Get behind me," a familiar voice growled causing relief to flood her body.

Mr. Bates.

Her faithful bodyguard had come to her rescue, and suddenly the relief she felt was washed away by guilt that she had evaded his protection to be on her own. How foolish she'd been.

She watched in horror as Mr. Bates pummeled her attacker with pointed blows and muffled curses. He was going to kill the man. What would happen then? Anna suddenly regained her senses and reached for Mr. Bates' shoulder.

"Mr. Bates, stop. Please! You'll kill him."

He shoved her off with a growl. "He deserves it."

The punches kept flying and Anna could tell the man was now unconscious.

"John, please. I can't lose you," she pleaded and something about her tone and the use of his first name made him stop and meet her tear filled eyes.

With one final shove, he stood and wiped his bloody fists on his tight fitting black shirt. He pressed a button in his ear and seconds later three men appeared at the head of the alleyway.

"Get this scum out of my sight." His voice was low and harsh and Anna flinched.

When the men had removed the man from the alley, John's eyes finally softened as he took her in. He approached her quickly but stopped short when she shrunk back to avoid his touch.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?"

 _Your Highness.  
_  
The formality cut her to her core. She'd thought her relationship with him had gone beyond a princess to her bodyguard. Even if he had rejected her.

Now she stood in this alley, cold and terrified, alone with him for the first time since she'd confessed her love to him...only she'd never felt more alone as she stared at the ground. This was when the panic set in. Her lungs seized up, and her mouth went dry as it hit her what she'd just survived. What he'd just saved her from. She realized then that she hadn't fooled anyone. He'd never let her out of his sight.

Her breathing became labored and the tears flowed heavily down her face. She didn't see him approach her but she certainly felt his arms around her as he pulled her into a tight embrace. The safety of his arms caused her to fall apart, choking sobs into his large chest and he only held her tighter as she cried her fear away.

"Shhh, you're alright. You're safe now." He gently ran his hand along her back in a soothing motion.

He must have sensed that she was not going to calm anytime soon and she was cold. So cold. Without any preamble, Mr. Bates scooped her into his arms and carried her to the limo that was conveniently waiting for them at the curb. She felt him set her in the seat, though sobs and chills wracked her body. She heard him shut the door and tell the driver to drive around town for now, then close the window partition before she felt him pull her back into his lap and embrace. Mr. Bates continued to soothe her and at long last Anna felt herself calm. Something about the combination of his scent and the sound of his breathing made her feel that for the first time in her life she was finally home.

Without lifting her head she reached up and rested her hand on his chest.

"I've ruined your shirt," she whispered, and was slightly surprised when she felt his light chuckle.

"The last thing I am worried about right now is my shirt." His arm tightened around her waist making Anna's insides tighten in the best way.

It was then that Mr. Bates pushed her back slightly and began to look at her legs and arms intently.

"What are you doing?" she asked curiously.

"Checking to make sure you don't have any wounds." He growled, as if remembering the fowlness of what that man had almost done to her.

He did find a small scratch on her arm before he turned her face to look towards his. He checked her face for any bruises and found none but there was a moment there, a spark when their eyes met and Anna shivered, not from the cold, when his thumb lightly grazed her chin before releasing her.

"You look to be alright, although I know you're shaken."

"You saved me, Mr. Bates." Anna felt fresh, hot tears slide down her cheek.

Mr. Bates turned red and cleared his throat. "It's my job, Your Highness."

Anna looked deep into his eyes and felt sure she saw more there than a man who was just doing his job. She knew in the very depths of her soul that she was more than a job to him.

"Mr. Bates, you just saved my life, held me while I lost it completely, and are now cradling me very comfortably in your lap...yet you still insist on referring to me as 'Your Highness.'" Anna smiled for the first time in a while.

Anna expected him to back away as he always did when she so openly flirted but it was if something had shifted in their universe. Perhaps it was the close quarters of the back of the limousine, or maybe the fact that he'd just saved her life. Instead he held her tighter and gave her one of his famous half smiles that she so loved.

"Well, you still call me 'Mr. Bates' so I guess we're even." His tone was playful which wasn't something she was used to. She felt like she could adjust though.

Anna decided that given her near death experience she couldn't continue to let life just pass her by. It was time to take some risks.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and silently gave thanks when he didn't push her away.

"Can't we just be John and Anna? No royalty. No courts. No bodyguards...just us. Can't we let that be enough? Just for this one night?"

She was playing with his hairline as she spoke, and noticed as his eyes shut tightly as if he were making a very important decision in that moment. When his eyes finally opened they were darker than she'd ever seen them before. He brought his impossibly large hand up to cradle her cheek, his thumb wiping the last of her tears away, while his other hand crept under her blouse and rested against the small of her back. She knew what was coming and licked her lips in anticipation.

John leaned towards her, closing the already tight space between them and just before his lips met hers he breathed, "It's more than enough."

That was all either of them needed. Their lips melted together and a year's worth of pent up passion burst forth into that single second. John kept their pace slow at first allowing them both time to experience the other fully. Then Anna felt his tongue teasing her lip, asking for entrance which she quickly granted. She'd been kissed before, of course but never like this. Never with this much love, tenderness, and reverence.

Things escalated from there to the point where Anna felt as if she were having an out of body experience. She was aware of John's hand as it ran further up her back beneath her shirt, then back down and towards her stomach. She was also very much aware of the fact that she'd somehow managed to pull his shirt over his head and was now quite enjoying the feel of his chest hair through her fingers. Anna raised her arms for John to remove her shirt and then the exploration really began. Their lips never left each others; their tongues tangled together as soft moans filled the backseat of the limo. Thankfully John had thought to close the window between them and the driver for privacy during her breakdown. Not that either of them particularly cared in the heat of the moment but it would help them later on.

Both of them were gasping for breath when John finally broke their kiss and continued on down her neck. Anna's head fell back, her arms still locked around his neck. She hadn't realized she had shifted to straddle him, but she was all too aware of the feeling of his desire for her pressed against her. It was all she could do to keep from grinding down on him as his mouth left it's mark on what was exposed of her breasts.

"God, John…" she moaned as he let his teeth join in.

"Is this too much?" He whispered against her skin.

"No, please don't stop."

Anna felt his hand that had been tangled in her hair land on her upper thigh. She was suddenly thankful that she'd gone for one of her shorter skirts tonight, as she straddled him he was granted easy access to her. His hand squeezed her behind and pulled her closer into him. This was becoming dangerous, but nothing in this world could make Anna stop now...nothing except for this man's gallantry.

His lips found hers once again only to slow things down considerably, much to Anna's disappointment. Only she couldn't find it in her to be disappointed for long when she took in the sight of his glorious smile. They were both gasping for breath, and he placed his forehead against hers so they could share the same air for a while longer.

"Wow," she heard him whisper, causing them both to giggle.

"Wow, indeed, Mr. Bates." He didn't reprimand her for the use of his surname, in fact based on the twitch she felt beneath her, she thought he must have found it quite seductive. "I don't see any reason to stop now, do you?"

"I see every reason, Anna." He hardly ever used her name, and it made her heart flutter to hear it from his lips. She pulled back slightly, frowning at his choice of words. He quickly cradled her face in his hands and smiled lovingly.

"I know I've been hurting you by shutting you out. I'm sorry for that, but don't you see that this could never work? You are a princess, and I…. I am nothing, Anna."

"I don't accept that John. You are everything to me. I don't want anyone else, not when I can have you. My position, my title…it's useless without love. And I love you. That's the simple truth. I know it won't be easy, far from it actually, but I believe in you and I believe in us. We can do this." She sounded so sure, so confident and she could see that reflected in his eyes. He believed her.

"You would give it all up, give everything away...for me?" His voice broke as he uttered those last words, and with it a tiny piece of Anna's heart broke away with it. This wonderful man, who'd she'd resented for too long for restricting her every move. If only she had noticed sooner that he was the only one that could truly set her free, by loving her the way he did. This man who had watched over her, taken care of her, slowly made her fall in love with him, and then saved her life. Didn't believe that she loved him enough to leave it all behind to be with him.

Anna took her turn to take his face in her hands, and kissed him gently before saying gently, "In a heartbeat, my love."

John pulled her tightly to him, crushing her in a hug that made her feel as if she were being put back together. His hand ran softly through her hair, and then she heard it, a whisper floating on the air around them that filled her heart with more joy than she'd ever known.

"I love you too, Anna."


End file.
